Lubricated spinning ring



Feb. 20, 1968 A. J. WAYSON 3,369,358

LUBRICATED SPINNING RING Filed Jan. 4, 1966 United States Patent ()flice 3,369,358 LUBRICATED SPINNING RING Andrew J. Wayson, Needham, Mass, assignor t Merriman, Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 518,621 2 Claims. (Cl. 57-420) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to horizontal type porous metal spinning and twisting rings used in the textile machinery industry. Horizontal rings have relatively thin circular webs supporting the upper flanges about which the traveler moves. The construction herein disclosed presents means for getting the oil quickly up through the supporting web to the locality of the surfaces on which the traveler bears. The oil may then spread laterally through the flanges to produce a lubricating film on the surface.

Brief summary of the invention When the term spinning ring is hereinafter utilized in describing the invention, it will be understand to include twisting rings, both-of which function in an identical manner.

Porous spinning rings have now gained widespread use in the textile industry. However, a major problem which still persists in connection with such rings lies in the area of providing sufiicient lubrication for the travelers rotatably mounted thereon. A number of lubricating schemes have heretofore been proposed, but to date, this problem has yet to be solved to the complete satisfaction of those skilled in the art. Failure to properly lubricate the spinning or twisting rings will of course result in accelerated wear and premature failure of the travelers.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved means for lubricating porous spinning rings, which means insures adequate lubrication of the bearing area on the spinning ring surface circumscribed by the traveler as it rotates during the spinning or twisting operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for carrying the lubricant directly to interior portions of the porous spinning ring immediately adjacent to the surface area being contacted by the travelers rotatably mounted thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved porous spinning ring embodying means for insuring adequate lubrication of the surface area contacted by the traveler rotatably mounted thereon without coating the major remaining surface area of the ring not slidably contacted by the travelers.

Brief description of the drawings These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially in section of a portion of a spinning ring embodying the concepts of the present invention; and,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper portion of the spinning ring shown in FIG. 1.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring initially to FIG. 1, a horizontal type spinning ring is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. It is to be understood that this ring may be of any conventional cross section and dimensions in accordance with normal practices of the trade. In the ring cons-truction herein shown for illustrative purposes, the basic ring 3,369,358 Patented Feb. 20, 1968 body is integrally fabricated of a porous material such as for example powdered metal, porous ceramic or porous glass with enlarged upper and lower portions 14 and 16 interconnected by a relatively thin intermediate section 18. The lower portion 16 is suitably adapted by means not shown to be fixed on a conventional ring rail 20.

A wide relatively shallow groove 22 is provided around the entire undersurface 24 of lower ring portion 16. The groove is covered by an annular cover plate 26 which may be of any suitable material, preferably of an oil impervious nature. Although any one of a number of conventional means may be employed to hold cover plate 26 in place, it has been found convenient to simply press-fit the cover between the side walls 28a and 28b of groove 22, which side walls may be rabbetted to provide supporting shoulders 30 for the cover. When in place as shown in FIG. 1, cover plate 26 will cooperate with groove 22 in providing an endless fully enclosed channel 32 extending around the full circumference of lower ring portion 16.

A conventional traveler 34 having a general-1y C-shaped configuration with an enlarged bearing head 36 at one end thereof is shown mounted on the upper ring portion 14. As the traveler rotates about the spinning ring 10 during normal operation of the apparatus, centrifugal force will cause the bearing head 36 to contact the surface radius 38 connecting upper portion 14 to intermediate section 18 over an annular area indicated in FIG. 2 at A. In order to minimize traveler wear, the bearing area must of course be continuously lubricated and it is to this problem that the present invention is primarily directed.

As is best shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of vertically disposed distribution passageways 40 have been drilled upwardly from enclosed channel 32 through intermediate section 13 to a level L (see FIG. 2) slightly above the bearing area A. It will be understood that the diameter of passageways 40 and their spacing around ring 10 is to a considerable extent a matter of design and is thus not critical to the present invention.

A horizontally disposed radial passageway 42 provides a means of connecting enclosed channel 32 to a source of lubricating oil. Any convenient source of oil supply may be utilized. As shown in FIG. 1 there may be provided an individual silo 44 which feeds oil downwardly through tube 46 to passageway 42, from whence the oil enters enclosed channel 32 to thereafter travel upwardly through vertical distribution passageways 40.

In view of the above, it should now beapparent to one skilled in the art that by introducing lubricating oil under pressure into channel 32, an adequate supply of oil will be insured around the entire lower portion of the ring. The oil will progress upwardly through distribution passageways 40 to a level L slightly higher than that of the bearing area A circumscribed by the traveler 34. The oil will thereafter seep through the porous material of ring 10 to the surface bearing area A, thus providing adequate I lubrication for the traveler. The spacing of passageways 40 will of course be properly selected to insure full lubrication around the entire circumference of the ring.

The distribution of lubricating oil to the surface of ring 10 may be further controlled by coating the lower ring portion 16 and a part of the intermediate section 18 with an oil impervious coating 48. This may be accomplished will prevent the oil from reaching the intermediate and lower surface portions of the ring not contacted by the traveler 34, thus markedly diminishing undesirable surface accumulations of lubricating oil during operation of the apparatus.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A horizontal type lubricated spinning ring for use in combination with a traveler rotatably mounted thereon, said ring comprising: an annular body of porous material, said body having enlarged bottom and top portions joined by a relatively thin intermediate section; a circular groove extending about the lower surface of said bottom portion; a plurality of spaced vertical passageways leading upwardly from said groove through said intermediate section to said top portion, said passageways terminating at an elevation slightly above the bearing area circumscribed by the traveler contacting the ring surface during operation of the apparatus; a cover for said groove, the combination of said cover and groove defining a continuous totally enclosed channel; an impervious coating over the surface of said bottom portion and intermediate section, said coating terminating at an elevation slightly below said hearing area; and means for introducing lubricating oil under pressure into said channel, whereby said oil will be carried upwardly through said vertical passageways to thereafter penetrate the porous ring material and thus provide a means for lubricating said bearing area.

2. A horizontal type spinning ring made of rigid porous material, said ring comprising a base, an intermediate portion and flanges carried by said intermediate portion, said base having a groove extending about its lower surface, a cover closing said groove, the combination of said groove and cover defining an enclosed channel around said ring, means for delivering lubricating oil under pressure to said channel, oil distribution means in the form of a plurality of spaced passageways extending upwardly from said channel through said intermediate portion to a point at least as high as said flanges and terminating within the upper part of said ring, whereby said oil may move upwardly from said channel through said passageways to a level above that of the bearing area on the surface of said ring circumscribed by a traveler rotatably mounted thereon, and where-by said Oil will thereafter penetrate the porous ring material to lubricate all portions of said bearing area, and an oil impervious surface coating on said ring, said coating extending from the bottom of said ring upwardly to a level slightly below that of said bearing area.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,718,112 9/1955 Wayson 57l20 2,760,329 8/1956 Albrecht 57l20 FOREIGN PATENTS 349,969 6/1931 Great Britain.

WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner. 

